Home security cameras with phone apps let you keep an eye out for trouble with just a few clicks of a button. Whether you’re away from home at the grocery store or lying in bed, you can just tap open the app and take a peek through your cameras whenever you want. This lets many homeowners or renters rest easy knowing that all is well as they strive to keep their home safe and secure.
But you can’t just pick any home security cameras with phone apps and hope for the best. Each security camera and mobile application offers a different user experience that may or may not work best for your needs. Thankfully, we’re here to help you find the right one. Use this guide on the top three app-linked home security cameras to find the one that will work best for your home.
Ring
App Fee: Free
Standout Features: Neighbors tab, Motion Notifications
When Ring first came out, it was just a little doorbell camera that let you view your visitors before opening the door. As you pulled up the app, you could see a clear view of who was standing outside. And with two-way audio, you could greet your guests or ask them to go away.
With the success of that device, they rolled out many other indoor and outdoor cameras that work much the same. All of their devices hook directly to their app, which allows you to set the monitoring area, adjust motion sensitivity, and switch between modes. You can even save different security profiles to use while you are home or away.
Motion Notifications
As their cameras detect motion, the camera will send you a notification via the application. The camera will also start recording, letting you see what’s going on in that moment or later on. Keep in mind the mobile application will only save the recordings if you sign up for their annual plan.
You can also set up motion zones to arrange specific areas for your camera to monitor. So if you’re worried about someone messing with your mailbox, set up a motion zone for the front door camera that focuses on your mailbox.
Basic vs Protected Plans
Ring lets their customers choose between the Basic and Protect plans.
With the Basic plan, all your videos will stay on the cloud indefinitely. You’ll pay $30 a year or $3 each month for every device on the plan.
If you want to hook up multiple cameras, then the Protect plan is a better deal. You not only get cloud storage for unlimited devices, but also a lifetime warranty on your cameras plus a discount on future purchases.
Even without their plans, you will still receive alerts and be able to view the cameras in real time through the free smartphone app. You can also peek through your cameras at your convenience by simply opening up the app. While viewing the cameras in real time, you can turn the camera’s light on and off, use the intercom, or set off the alarm.
Neighbors Tab
Also in their app, they have a ‘Neighbors’ tab that lets you share info with others in your neighborhood. You can post your own videos to warn neighbors of car prowlers and other nearby threats. Or just stay connected with those in your close community by viewing and commenting on posts put up by your neighbors.
Arlo
App Fee: Free
Standout Features: Cloud storage without subscription, Motion alerts
In the past few years, Arlo has been busy upgrading their home security cameras with phone app functionality. Their old devices even work with the new, letting you stagger your upgrades if you already have some of their equipment.These improvements make them a top contender for home security cameras with phone apps.
Like Ring, they have a number of interconnected devices, including:
- Doorbell cams
- Floodlight cameras
- Outdoor security cams
- Indoor cameras
Their free mobile app is intuitive and easy to use, giving you a quick way to see all around your house on demand. You can view the cameras in real time without paying for a subscription. Without a subscription, your videos stay on the cloud for seven days. If you want the data saved longer, you’ll need to sign up for an Arlo Smart plan.
Motion Alerts
Arlo’s cameras send motion alerts to your phone that detail suspicious movement on your property. This information typically includes a time stamp as well as the specific camera detecting the motion. Directly below these alerts is the option to call a friend for assistance or sound your alarm. Calling a friend is a convenient option if a motion alert was for a package being delivered. Meanwhile, sounding your alarm is essential for quickly scaring away unwanted visitors. In even more serious cases, you can quickly dial 911 through the mobile application.
Watch What Matters
Similar to Ring, Arlo lets customers easily filter out activity that they don’t want to see with activity zones. These set up specific zones in your camera’s field of view that you want to receive notifications for.
Premier vs Elite Plans
They have Premier and Elite plans available for one or multiple cameras. The Premier plans store 2K videos for up to 30 days plus offer rich push notifications and additional monitoring settings. For that service, you’ll pay $2.99 a month for one camera or $9.99 a month for multiple.
With their Elite plan, you can save videos for up to 30 days, use cameras with up to 4k resolution, and set up advanced motion detection. In addition, their unique e911 emergency call function connects your cameras to the local dispatch, so you can quickly contact first responders to your house when calling 911. This level of service is $4.99 a month for one camera or $14.99 for multiple devices.
Wyze
App Fee: Free
Standout Features: Easy to connect with neighbors, Motion notifications, Free cloud storage
When it comes to home security cameras with phone apps, Wyze is the newcomer of the group. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth considering. In fact, they are a great option for those on a budget. They offer all the value of the other options but at a much lower price point.
Much like the others in this list, their offerings began with the video doorbell. From there, their product line kept expanding, adding indoor and outdoor cameras galore.
Connect with Neighbors
All of their cameras link up to their free app that allows you to quickly view the 12-second videos and share them with the Wyze community. While there, it’s possible to view videos shared by your neighbors and join in the conversation about what’s going on. You can also use the app to look through the cameras in real time and use the two-way intercom to speak with whoever’s in that area.
Motion Notifications
With the app installed on your phone, you’ll receive notifications that alert you to motion picked up by the cameras. You can create triggers that will automate recording at a specific time or for a specific type of motion the camera detects.
If you click through the alert, you can take a peek through the cameras or you can ignore it and view the video later on. They store all the videos in the cloud for up to 14 days for free and allow you to hook up an SD card to store the data locally. With the SD card installed, you can even capture time lapses.
Cam Plus vs Free Plan
For $1.99 a month or $14.99 a year per camera, you can sign up for their Cam Plus plan that improves the camera’s motion sensitivity and records until the activity stops. If you want even more protection, they have a home monitoring upgrade rolling out in 2021. This includes person detection, facial recognition, and package detection.The Cam Plus plan also allows a team of professionals to watch for issues, like burglars, and then take the appropriate steps to protect your home.
Improve Your Home Security with ONIT Home Service
All of these home security cameras with phone app integration are smart home compatible and work with a variety of other devices. You can then control and view the camera data using those other devices in addition to your smartphone.
To learn more about finding the right smart security devices for your home to protect your family, look no further than the experts at ONIT. For over a decade, we’ve been customizing and installing security systems inside homes across the nation. We work with top-rated equipment that include industry-leading home security cameras with mobile applications to keep you connected with home 24/7.
If you’re ready to get started in protecting your home, let our team help you out. Request a free quote today to start taking control of your home’s security.